He woke up suddenly, with the sound of the approaching pursuers. The populace that searched the few survivors of last night’s massacre was not going to quit easily. And he, still wearing the uniform of Napoleon’s army, would not pass unnoticed.

Just yesterday everything seemed to be going reasonably well. The imperial troops retreated, worn out by the attacks of Wellesley’s British troops and the ambushes of the Portuguese, commanded by Silveira. At least they were going home and, by the way, accumulated lootings and killings. And that house in Romarigães – the peasants called it “the Large House” – seemed to belong to wealthy people. If they looked, they would certainly find hidden gold.

When they entered the chappel next to the house, a veteran said: “These damn nobles are rich up to their teeth. Look properly. Here in the chapel, where you less expect, that’s where they may have hidden the pognon” (*). And, after saying this, they found, under the altar stone, the treasure of Luís António de Menezes da Cunha e Azevedo.

Carrying the loot, they followed towards North, along the Path to Santiago. Soon they would be in Spanish ground. It was night already when the peasants ambushed them, in a steep slope. It was a bloodbath. He managed to escape, he can’t quite remember how, carrying the chest with the gold coins from the Large House. He ran until falling from exhaustion and fell asleep.

And now they were approaching, still thirsty for French blood. He ran along a brook. But the chest was too heavy. He hid it quickly, intending to return after everything were quieter. He continued along the brook. But soon he realized that he was trapped between two stone walls. “Sapristi! Misérables paysans!” The peasants were already to close for turning back.

He was killed right here, turning red the clear waters of St. John’s brook.

With him died the secret of the stolen gold of Romarigães.

Start the search in the Manor House of Romarigães (Casa Grande de Romarigães) (N 41 52.012 W 008 37.524), a XVII century building that inspired Aquilino Ribeiro to write the novel with the same name, describing the intense and tragic story of the several generations of the Meneses Montenegro that lived in it. The house ended up belonging to the writer’s family, already in the XX century, after being sold for paying debts. The house still displays, in its Northern face, the coat of arms of the Antas da Cunha family. Take note of the number of lozenges that make the cross displayed in that shield.

Follow then to the chapel of Santana – or St. Ana (N 41 50.954 W 008 36.121). Count the number of “meat eaters” (from the greek “sarkóphagos”) which are next to the chapel since medieval times.

Finally, start at N 41 50.821 W 008 36.130 your path to redemption, walking along one of the hardest stretches of the Portuguese Path to Santiago (Caminho de Santiago). This part of the trail, which starts at the border of the asphalt road, is marked with yellow arrows, which you should follow carefully until finding the place of the tragic massacre of Napoleon’s soldiers. This location is signalled by the “Cross of the French” (Cruz dos Franceses). Measure the width of its horizontal arm, in “côvado” palms (a unit of length used at the time, equivalent to 22,6 cm)

Now you can calculate the cache’s final coordinates, using the formula:

N 41 51.(A+B-C)AA W 008 35.(2xC)(A+B)A

A = number of lozenges in the cross of Antas da Cunha’s coat of arms

B = number of sarcophagus next to Santana’s chapel

C = width of the Cross of the French’s horizontal arm, measured in “côvado” palms (rounded to unity).

The GPS signal is weak in the area of the final cache!You should use the photo-hint in order to locate the final cache faster!

Note that the way from the Cross of the French until close to the hidden gold can be done integrally by following along trails and country roads.